Summary

The Broke Ass Brigade is a sarcastic account of the author's employment in one of the largest retail chains in the world.

Don entered the workforce as a young man barely out of high school, full of enthusiasm and idealism. He soon received a reality check about corporate America. Raised in the middle class, he believed in the value system of an honest day's work for an honest wage. That by doing what was "right" and working hard, he would succeed. The Company Store, however, had other plans for him and his coworkers - the American working class.

Terrorized by crazy and vindictive bosses, Don manages to maintain his sanity and sense of humor while dealing with the masses that frequent The Company Store. Illustrating the day-to-day interactions of his coworkers, he details the devastating effects of poor wages, false promises of promotion, threats to employees who call in sick or have life-threatening disabilities, and stagnate leadership which comprises the culture of The Company Store.

Born with Asperger's syndrome, Don brings an unusual and witty perspective to the everyday events he encounters. While employed, he encounters a group of crusty and hard-nosed veterans who refer to themselves as The Broke Ass Brigade. They explain the demise of the American worker in The Company Store and point out the incredible injustices the corporation has handed out to its employees. Relevant to today's "Occupy Wall Street" environment, The Broke Ass Brigade was written over a period of eight years and chronicles the lives and relationships of the workers of The Company Store.

Join Don as he goes where we all have been and wondered: Are these people for real? Don is about to show you in a painfully sarcastic and funny way that yes, they are.

Story

Flatly stating the obvious for an entire book.

Starts ok. Not massively engaging but anyone who has worked at the lowest levels of corporate greed would be able to relate to the frustration described by the author.

The teenage sarcasm, however preventes any deeper level to the book so after an hour or so, the feel is one of being cornered by a whinging egocentric that is nowhere near a funny as they think they are.

Completely lost interest by halfway through the book. Unfinished.

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Overall

1 out of 5 stars

Performance

5 out of 5 stars

Story

1 out of 5 stars

Banyan

17-06-16

A stereotype of self-righteousness

Have you listened to any of Ron Welch’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Performance was great - he successfully presented the putrid hatred of humanity as written by the author.

What character would you cut from The Broke Ass Brigade?

The protagonist

Any additional comments?

Asperger's is not an excuse for this vitrioloc putrid hatred of all mankind. The author indulges in non-stop complaining about the actions of others while placing blame on everybody but himself. The writer states that he quits a job he hates - then earns a college degree in History while working as a security contractor: looks like a positive future. Then post degree he agrees to go back to "the company store" that he knows is incompatible with his personality. All the while complaining that he has no options: only a dog returns to its vomit. The writer was single with nothing but freedom. Join the JobCorp, volunteer for something meaningful in your community, there is no debtors prison: it's just a bad credit rating not a character rating. Do SOMETHING: hitchhike to Montana and raise sheep in a lean-to down by the river. The writer had plenty of time for video games, movies, and non-stop complaining - but never anything positive. Repay evil with more evil is non-productive. The writer states that an old military man took him to the side and told him effectively "There's the door - what hinders your freedom?" - he rejects it. Ok - you want to change the corporate world: upgrade that BA to an MBA and Management PhD. I see nothing here but juvenile glee in finding the most negative thing possible to say about horribly broken people. The writer has become a stereotype of that which he hates. Forget finding religion - the writer desperately needs to find humanity.